SEC honors UF’s Powers

Published: Tuesday, February 19, 2013 at 10:44 a.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, February 19, 2013 at 10:50 a.m.

Florida redshirt sophomore infielder Zack Powers shared the initial SEC Player the Week honor for the season Tuesday with Kentucky junior second baseman J.T. Riddle after a memorable opening weekend.

Returning to action after being sidelined for the 2012 season, Powers went 3-for-6 (.500) over the three games against Duke. In Sunday's decisive third game of the series with the Blue Devils, he joined Preston Tucker as the only Gators in school history to hit a pair of grand slams in the same game. Powers tied the score at 3-3 in the sixth inning with a sacrifice fly and then clubbed his first career homer in the seventh frame to right field with three teammates aboard to expand UF's advantage to 10-3. The Armwood High School product stepped to the plate again in the eighth with the sacks full and emptied them with another big fly to right field to finalize the scoring at 16-5.

Powers' nine RBI tied for the third-most in school history in a contest, behind Tucker's standard of 11 RBI against UCF in which he belted three homers and a couple of grand slams on April 8, 2009. During his true freshman season of 2011, Powers drove in seven runs in 35 games all year. He also went 1-for-2 with his first career stolen base in Saturday's 4-2 Gator triumph over Duke.

Ole Miss junior right-hander Bobby Wahl was tabbed as the SEC Pitcher of the Week, while Alabama shortstop Mikey White was the league's Freshman of the Week.

<p>Florida redshirt sophomore infielder Zack Powers shared the initial SEC Player the Week honor for the season Tuesday with Kentucky junior second baseman J.T. Riddle after a memorable opening weekend.</p><p> Returning to action after being sidelined for the 2012 season, Powers went 3-for-6 (.500) over the three games against Duke. In Sunday's decisive third game of the series with the Blue Devils, he joined Preston Tucker as the only Gators in school history to hit a pair of grand slams in the same game. Powers tied the score at 3-3 in the sixth inning with a sacrifice fly and then clubbed his first career homer in the seventh frame to right field with three teammates aboard to expand UF's advantage to 10-3. The Armwood High School product stepped to the plate again in the eighth with the sacks full and emptied them with another big fly to right field to finalize the scoring at 16-5.</p><p> Powers' nine RBI tied for the third-most in school history in a contest, behind Tucker's standard of 11 RBI against UCF in which he belted three homers and a couple of grand slams on April 8, 2009. During his true freshman season of 2011, Powers drove in seven runs in 35 games all year. He also went 1-for-2 with his first career stolen base in Saturday's 4-2 Gator triumph over Duke.</p><p> Ole Miss junior right-hander Bobby Wahl was tabbed as the SEC Pitcher of the Week, while Alabama shortstop Mikey White was the league's Freshman of the Week.</p><p>The No. 17 Gators (2-1) return to action at 6:30 p.m. today to face UCF (2-1) at Jay Bergman Field. Junior right-hander Keenan Kish (Worcester, Pa.) (0-0, 0.00) will oppose Knight senior left-hander Brian Adkins (0-0, 0.00).</p><p> Jeff Cardozo and Steve Russell will call the action for the Gator IMG Sports Network.</p>